Just Say NO Program

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"To win" just write a one-page essay on NO Graffiti, or NO Drugs/Alcohol or NO Gangs. One of BCF Board menber will judge all submissions and select the winners.

Just Say No to Drugs

Everyone involved in running a business -- both employers and employees --suffers when there is workplace alcohol and drug abuse.

Some costs are obvious, such as increased absences, accidents and errors. Others, such as low morale and high illness rates, are less so, but the effects are equally harmful. One in five workers report that they have had to work harder, redo work or cover for a co-worker or have been put in danger or injured as a result a fellow employee's drinking.

*Up to 40 percent of industrial fatalities and 47 percent of industrial injuries can be linked to alcohol consumption and alcoholism.

*Alcohol and drug abuse has been estimated to cost American businesses roughly 81 billion dollars in lost productivity in just one year-37 billion due to premature death and 44 billion due to illness. Of these combined costs, 86 percent are attributed to drinking.

*Alcoholism is estimated to cause 500 million lost workdays annually.

*Individuals who are current illicit drug users are more than twice as likely (9.3 percent) than those who are not (4.3 percent) to have changed employers three or more times in the past year.

* Individuals who are current illicit drug users are also more likely (12.9 percent) than those who are not (5 percent) to have skipped one or more work days in the past month.

*Similarly, individuals who are current heavy alcohol users are more likely (8 percent) than those who are not (4.4 percent) to have changed employers three or more times in the past year.

*Individuals who are current heavy alcohol users are also more likely (11.3 percent) than those who are not (5.1 percent) to have skipped one or more work days in the past month.

-- JUST SAY NO TO ALCOHOL AND DRUGS

Just Say No to Gangs

Age of Members:

Most youth gang members are between the ages of 12 and 24, and the average age is about 17 to 18 years. Around half of youth gang members are 18 or older, and they are much more likely to be involved in serious and violent crimes than younger gang members.

Only about 1-in-4 youth gang members are ages 15 to 17.For most teens, gang membership is a brief phase. Three studies that tracked teens over time found that one-half to two-thirds of youth gang members leave the gang by the one-year mark.

The California Youth Authority now called Division of Juvenile Justice, has earned a reputation as a dangerous place for children.

CYA was not set up to house first time juvenile offenders arrested for relatively minor offenses. Many violent gang members, sexual offenders, and other violent and repeat offenders are housed there.

CYA was first opened in 1943 as a reform school. Today it functions similar to adult state prisons. In 1996, more than 10,000 individuals were housed at CYA. At the time, about 8,500 of the individuals were juveniles and 1,500 were young adults.

Over the past eight years, prosecutors have punished more juveniles in adult court. In 2002, the California District Attorneys Association campaigned to get the "Juvenile Crime Initiative" otherwise known as Proposition 21 passed by the voters.

Proposition 21 allows the prosecution to longer have to ask the juvenile court judge permission to pursue a criminal case against a child in adult court. Under Proposition 21, children 14 years of age or older charged with committing certain types of serious felonies could be directly prosecuted in adult court.

This has contributed to a decline in population at the California Youth Authority which in 2004 only has population of 4,300 compared to over 10,000 inmates 8 years prior.

Accordingly, fewer juveniles are committed to the California Youth Authority and more children are committed to serve time in adult state prisons for much lengthier sentences including life. It costs California $80,000 annually for each child housed at CYA. The CYA houses individuals between the ages of 12-25 and operates eleven locations and four youth forestry camps.

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

Am I financially liable for my child's acts?

Yes. You may also have to pay restitution to the victim if your child is ordered to pay. Restitution is money to pay for the victim's losses caused by your child's illegal conduct. Examples of restitution might include the value of stolen or damaged property, medical expenses, and lost wages.

Will I be required to pay my child's fees?

Yes. Unless you have been the victim of your child's crime, you will receive a bill from the county for your child's attorney's fees. You will be billed for probation department services fees (such as food and laundry while your child was in juvenile hall), and placement costs for keeping your child in a state placement such as the California Youth
Authority, a probation camp, or an out-of-home placement.

These costs can be expensive. You will have a chance to show how much, if any, of these costs you are able to pay. The Juvenile Court does not make this determination.

What is the role of the probation officer?

The probation officer is responsible for writing a report to the juvenile court judge about your child. The report tells the judge what the probation department thinks would be best for your child if the judge finds that your child committed the crime.

The report also includes your child's prior arrestdetention hearing after no more than 72 hours, counting only court business days (no Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays). At the detention hearing, the judge will decide whether or not to let your child go home before the next hearing.

A child can be tried in adult court for a wide range of offenses. These are violent and serious offenses, including murder and attempted murder, arson of an inhabited building, robbery with a dangerous or deadly weapon,
some forms of rape, some forms of kidnapping and carjacking, some felonies involving firearms, certain controlled substance offenses, and certain violent escapes from a juvenile detention facility.

Just Say No To Graffiti

The Graffiti Problem.

The United States spends approximately $12 billion annually cleaning up graffiti. (Dept. of Justice)

Figures from a variety of cities across the country suggest that graffiti cleanup alone costs taxpayers about $1 to $3 per person each year. For communities with smaller populations, per capita costs are typically under $1. (Dept. of Justice)

The cost of graffiti abatement in California (statewide) is upwards of $350 million annually. As one of the nations largest hubs for graffiti-related crimes, Los Angeles spends an average of $55 million annually on cleanup. In 2006, L.A. cleanup crews removed 27 million square feet of graffiti.

With a population of 2.8 million, Chicago budgeted $6.5 million in 2006 for graffiti removal. Las Vegas, with a population of about 1.7 million, spends more than $3 million each year cleaning up graffiti. Denver and Milwaukee, each with populations just over 550,000, spend about $1 million annually on graffiti remediation.

Graffiti contributes to lost revenue associated with reduced rider-sssship on transit systems, reduced retail sales and declines in property value. (Dept. of Justice)